Trampoline Injuries Steadily Rising for Kids                   

Every year, the number of children injured while using trampolines rises, with researchers believing it is largely due to the increasing popularity of trampoline parks. The most common types of trampoline-related injuries include sprains, strains, broken bones requiring surgical repair, concussions and other head injuries, cuts, scrapes, bruises and neck injuries leading to paralysis. In extreme cases, trampoline-related injuries can result in death.

Although the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued a general recommendation that urges consumers not to allow children to jump or play on at-home-trampolines, many decide to disregard the AAP’s safety guidelines and use trampolines anyway. Being cautious can help lower the chance of sustaining serious or fatal injuries, although data confirms that trampolines are inherently dangerous to use, particularly for children.

Trampolines maintain popularity even though they cause permanent and fatal injuries. The National Institute of Health (NIH) estimates that half a million trampolines are sold each year in the United States. The trampoline industry makes over $700 million each year, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) oversees trampoline safety and manufacturing guidelines. Even with comprehensive safety and performance standards in place, trampolines can still inflict deadly injuries.

To reiterate this extremely important point: the AAP recommends that consumers avoid residential trampoline-use altogether and encourages parents to avoid purchasing trampolines and installing them at their homes. To limit the chance of injury, the AAP advises parents to encourage alternative forms of play, such as bike riding (and always remembering to wear a helmet!), playing sports, or having a backyard catch. Research shows that the safest way to use trampolines is when supervised by professionals– like in a gymnastics, diving, or other competitive sports program.

For families who decide to purchase and install trampolines, the AAP recommends that they do the following:

• Check equipment thoroughly and often;
• Always provide adult supervision;
• Repair and replace any damaged equipment (net enclosure, protective padding or any other part) – and don’t let anyone use it in the meantime;
• Make sure the trampoline comes with adequate protective gear, such as padding, and:
• Allow only one person to use the trampoline at a time

To read the AAP’s full list of safety precautions, please click here: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/safety-prevention/at-play/Pages/Trampolines-What-You-Need-to-Know.aspx.

People are most likely to sustain trampoline-related injuries when they land improperly after jumping, land on equipment such as the trampoline’s frame or springs, collide with another person, attempt stunt moves, or land incorrectly after trying to flip or somersault. The AAP notes that somersaulting or flipping should always be forbidden because of the high likelihood of sustaining permanent neck or head injuries that can result in irreversible paralysis.

Data from the CPSC shows that children 2 to 14-years-old are the most susceptible to sustain trampoline-related injuries out of any other age group. Some years, more than 85,000 kids in that age range are injured on trampolines, accounting for nearly 80% of the total injuries recorded throughout that time. All in all, the CPSC estimates that roughly 100,000 total trampoline-related injuries are treated in emergency rooms or hospitals annually. Some of the injuries can be fatal: between 2000 and 2009, a total of 22 people were killed after they sustained life-threatening injuries. To read the CPSC’s full consumer trampoline safety alert, please click here: https://www.cpsc.gov/PageFiles/137868/085%20Trampoline%20Safety.pdf

Consumers should consider the AAP’s safety recommendations because of inherent product risks, it is better to avoid using trampolines altogether than risk serious or fatal injuries. Even at trampoline parks, where staff members supervise all children using trampolines, accidents and serious injuries can occur.

Philadelphia Personal Injury Lawyers at Galfand Berger, LLP Advocate for Victims of Trampoline Injuries

If you or a loved one has sustained injuries after using a trampoline, please contact our Philadelphia personal injury lawyers. With offices located in Philadelphia, Bethlehem, Lancaster, and Reading, Galfand Berger serves clients throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. To schedule a consultation, call us at 800-222-8792 or complete our online contact form.

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